Store Owner Gets Creative to Catch Thief

For over a month the owner of True Value on Ravenna Road noticed items were missing from the tool aisle of the store.

He believed it was Stephen Dennis, 34, of Twinsburg who would come in weekly, pay for a small item and leave.

The owner decided to set up a "trail camera" in the tool aisle to catch Dennis in the act. The motion activated camera is normally used by hunters in deer stands.

On Sunday, Feb. 6 the camera caught Dennis taking a $17 ratchet off of the shelf and head to the check out counter. He never paid for a ratchet.

The store owner called police and showed them the footage. When they went to Dennis' home, he said he just went there to buy dish soap. However, when they told him a camera caught him stealing a ratchet, he admitted to the crime and handed it over. He denied stealing anything else from the store.

Dennis was charged with misdemeanor theft.